Necessary Roughness 2.02 ‘To Swerve and Protect’ recap: Pitmann Runs a Flea Flicker

“I don’t wanna talk…I wanna drink.”
Marshall Pittman is obsessed with alcohol, name dropping and messing with his employee’s heads in this episode.  He starts out with Nico, offering fine whiskey, but ends up drinking alone.  Nico suggests they talk about Gabrielle, but Marshall says he doesn’t want to talk, but then suggests that neither of them would be enough for Gabrielle.  Now Nico doesn’t want to talk about it, but Marshall continues, explaining that Gabrielle will do anything to take away the only thing that means more to him than money.  For those of you thinking that it might be Juliet, daughter of Gabrielle and Marshall-or-Nico, it’s not.  It’s his team, the New York Hawks.  Despite his intense game of hide and seek for Juliet last week, Nico let’s this comment pass with no remark.  Oh Nico, I was hoping you’d deck him.   Instead, Marshall charges him with protecting the Hawks by any means necessary and Nico seems to agree by picking up his glass so Marshall doesn’t have to drink alone.

Over at Dr. Danni’s house, Ray Jay is upset that he is not allowed to have sex at home.  Is this a new thing for juniors in high school? Man, this makes me feel old.  When I was a junior in high school, we were happy to have a car to sneak around in.  No one was demanding rights to their bedroom.   Dr. Danni doesn’t want Ray Jay having sex at all and tries to blame it on poor Tutor Girl, who Dr. Danni sees as some tutor code of conduct violating seductress.  Get a grip Dr. Danni – you sound like a crazy person.  Ray Jay pulls the classic “Dad says its okay!” and Dr. Danni predictably responds with “my house, my rules.”   Now it’s like I’m back in high school!  Way too happy that not everything has changed.

While Nico’s dealing with Pittman and Dr. Danni’s parenting, Matty D has to go wrangle up TK who has pissed off Matty D by not showing up for two therapy sessions and two training sessions.  TK opens the door and apparently has decided to go all Howard Hughes meets Randy Moss.

Not a great look for you, TK.  I’m thinking of revoking your Hottie title and who just wants to go by Bad Boy Receiver?

“Don’t bother.  I just took him out back and shot him.”
Dr. Danni and Matty D explain TK’s situation to Coach Pullman, who isn’t really sympathetic.  TK has a big bonus coming up (7 million dollars) and if they don’t know if he can even run a 40 yard dash, there’s going to be a problem.   He’s about to call the GM and let him know, but Marshall’s back for more conversations with his employees who would rather do anything than speak to him (he brought Nico with him so I’m not completely unhappy to see him).   Also, we get one of those changes they mentioned last week.  GM is out, Marshall’s the new Jerry Jones (that’s owner/general manager with delusions of grandeur for those of you who don’t speak NFL football).

Dr. Danni meets Marshall Pittman for the first time and I don’t think she’s impressed.  After moving to Pittman’s “new” office which belonged to the old GM so five minutes ago that his kid’s pictures are still hanging up, Marshall insists on seeing TK run.  Lest we think he’s unsympathetic to TK’s situation, he says it doesn’t have to be today, he can wait until Friday.

Matty D and Dr. Danni try to talk to Nico, hoping he’ll intervene.  No dice.  Nico does agree to help make TK feel secure enough to leave the house.  Dr. Danni doesn’t think she likes the way Nico will do that, but I have to say, I think she’ll approve here.

Nico goes to TK’s and hunts down all the weapons that TK is holding onto.  I guess this is him proving he’s really from the hood because wow, he came up with several hand guns very quickly (and a pair of nun chucks which was an interesting choice).  It’s like TK can’t remember last season when HE HID IN A CLOSET WHEN HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A ROBBER INSIDE!!

Nico promises TK 24/7 protection in the form of body guards and TK agrees and hands over the goods.  Good choice, TK.  I’m not confident of your gun or nun chuck using abilities.

Ray Jay and Tutor Girl are getting it on in the car, like high school students of old, and I guess that’s the problem.  “Doing it in a car” is sooo high school, Tutor Girl snipes.   She wants Ray Jay to demand they be allowed to do it in the house like grown ups.  This whole thing is comical.  Especially when she points out that his mother was probably doing it at their age and poor Ray Jay’s head nearly explodes.  Gross, Tutor Girl.  No one likes to think about their parents that way.

“Aside from some ill-fated marriage counseling, I am a therapy virgin.”
Dr. Danni is supposed to meet up with Matty D for some lovin’ (the kids are with Dad) and is surprised to open the door and find Marshall waiting for her instead.    You know, Mr. Pittman, therapists tend to charge twice as much when you show up during non-office hours for non-emergencies.  I’m not expecting you to start coupon clipping, but with your assets dwindling, maybe that’s the kind of thing you should consider.  Marshall does bring a good bottle of vino.

Pittman wants info on TK and unsurprisingly, she won’t give it out.  Marshall pushes his luck, suggesting that he may fire her if she doesn’t.

Remember when I said I wish Nico had decked Pittman? Well, I think I’m gonna lay my money on Dr. Danni smacking him before the season’s end. She calls his bluff on the firing and he leaves (leaving behind the wine at least it wasn’t a complete waste of her time).

Back on TK duty, Nico shakes down a girl TK grew up with, the one who supplied him the illegal guns.   She pretends not to be scared, Nico pretends to be impressed and we all realize she’s gonna be trouble soon.

Ray Jay has decided the best way to approach his mother is with a PowerPoint, detailing such gems as the average age of consent in Europe and the fictional love story of Romeo and Juliet.  Dr. Danni is impressed with the work he put into the project, but doesn’t change her mind.   While Dr. Danni mentions Tutor Girl’s mom as not being down with this idea, she doesn’t threaten to call her, leaving me sad because that’s only half of what would have happened during my youth.  Still, Ray Jay throws me a bone when he tells his mom that Tutor Girl’s mom is way cooler than her.

Matty D is working with TK on the field.  His speeds there, but he’s not moving as well.  Poor TK.  Matty D comforts and motivates, but TK sees Pittman standing around watching him and refuses to practice anymore.

With TK leaving, Pittman is left to his own devices and takes up residence in Matty D’s office.  He didn’t bring any liquor with him, but thankfully Matty D keeps some scotch in a drawer.  Unfortunately, Pittman’s palate is slightly more sophisticated than Matty’s.  Serves him right.  Nico got the stuff from Mark Cuban, Dr. Danni got some nice wine…you don’t even try to buy off Trainer Hottie?  For shame.  Pittman tries to get more info on TK and Matty defends TK’s progress and says he’s better than 95% of the league.  Pittman insists he won’t pay for TK if he can’t run by Friday.

“I’m gonna go get that little Romeo and he’s going to wish he drank poison!”
Matty D finally makes his way over to Dr. Danni’s for some one on one time.  They chat about Pittman and Matty D wonders what’s up with Pittman and Nico.   Neither has the answer to that and Ray Jay interrupts with a text that he’s spending the night at a friend’s house.  Dr. Danni is in some deep denial because she totally buys that until Trainer Hottie points out that Ray Jay is at his girlfriend’s house.  Oh Trainer Hottie, that was not wise.  I see a cold empty bed in your future.  Dr. Danni tries to insist Ray Jay wouldn’t lie (she hasn’t seen last season apparently) and uses the phones GPS to find out that Matty D is right. Ray Jay is at Tutor Girl’s house.  Just like that, no one is getting some because she rain checks Trainer Hottie and runs off to collect her wayward son.

Ray Jay and Dr. Danni have it out.  Turns out Tutor Girl’s mom liked the PowerPoint.   Ray Jay is grounded, no car.  He brings up “you and dad” were doing this in high school and oh my god! Stop Ray Jay!  Even I don’t want to think about that.   Dr. Danni also objects (literally, like she’s in court or something) and they go back and forth for awhile until Ray Jay finally tells her to just admit she doesn’t want him to end up like they did – knocked up, young and in a crappy marriage.  Ouch.  I’m not sure who I feel sorry for more in this situation.

“Pitmann’s sweating me like a hooker in church”
TK is still having trouble with drills.  Matty D insists that much of this is mental, that he’ll be okay.  TK isn’t buying it, but Matty D has a secret weapon. Dr. Danni!

We find out that TK is worried his life will be over without football.  Dr. Danni points out that her life is her job; talking to people.  He’s not buying it.  Esp. later that night when he’s having muscle spasms (while looking very sexy in bed I may add – Hottie title restored).

Matty D tries to get Nico to talk to Pittman.  Nico isn’t going to and Matty D steps on a land mine when he brings up Nico’s loyalty. Matty D raises a good point; we all know Nico’s loyal.  It’s just what he’s loyal to that we wonder about.

Nico meets up with Marshall, at a bar of course.  No idea who’s paying for this round.  Nico is concerned with Marshall’s game playing; he insists that Marshall can only push him so far.  Finally they talk about Nico’s affair with Gabrielle.  Long story short, it happened in hotels in Brussels, Paris and New York and Nico was in love with her first.   Nothing is resolved, Marshall is still playing his way and Nico still feels badly.  Poor Nico.

It’s finally Friday, TK has gone missing and the Coach and Matty D try to make excuses for him, but Marshall claims he’s seen enough   He calls a press conference and everyone is worried how TK will take the news that he’s been cut.   Jokes on them though, Pittman is keeping TK.  He just cut half the secondary.  Everyone is confused, but Nico finally gets it; Pullman is running the team into the ground so that it’s worthless to Gabrielle. He’ll rebuild later.

Ah divorce.  It really is hardest on the kids.

As for TK, he’s walking around in sunglasses and a black hoodie, getting into a car with the girl Nico talked to earlier.  Oh TK.  There is so much wrong with this!

In addition to all the Hawks and family drama, Dr. Dani also had a case of the week to solve in the form of Grace “DisGrace Kelly”, a roller derby team captain, who unexpectedly faints during a match (game? Despite being told this is the #1 growing sport, I’m not that interested and I don’t know the term).   Grace goes through lots of medical testing which reveal she’s not physically ill so the team owner has sent her to Dr. Danni.  They’ve got a championship game coming up DisGrace is Team Captain and the blocker for their best player, Lucy, so they need her healthy.  Grace doesn’t think it’s an emotional or mental issue, but we all know 2 minutes after she sits down with Dr. Danni, when she mentions that her sister is in a wheel chair because of a car accident, her dad’s absent and her mom’s a drunk.  Grace and Dr. Danni struggle a bit to find the root of her problems, but as we all expected from the get go, Grace freaked because she wasn’t able to protect her sister from getting hit by a car while she was putting away markers and her mom was drinking.  Poor Grace.  I assume with this revelation, she manages to put her fear aside, win that championship and mend things with her sister.

And that’s it for this week, sports fans!  What did you think?  Did Ray Jay make you feel old? Do you wish your boss would show up at your door baring expensive liquor?  Will TK ever admit he needs help?